    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [November 10, 2004]
    [Pages 2956-2958]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With North Atlantic Treaty Organization
    Secretary General Jakob Gijsbert de Hoop Scheffer and an Exchange With Reporters
    November 10, 2004

        President Bush. It's my honor to welcome the Secretary General of
    NATO to the Oval Office. This is the first meeting I've had, since my
    reelection, with a leader from overseas. I'm proud you're the person,
    Secretary General, because, first of all, I've got a very close personal
    relationship. I've come to admire his leadership and his fortitude. And
    secondly, my Nation is committed to a strong and vibrant NATO.
        NATO is playing a very constructive role in Afghanistan. Today we
    had a chance to revisit one of the great moments of modern history, when
    millions of people went to the polls to vote for a President in a
    country that had been ruled by the Taliban only 3 years ago, and we were
    rejoicing in the fact that the first voter was a 19-year-old
    woman. And NATO is playing a very active
    role in Afghanistan.

        And NATO is playing a role in helping to train Iraqi citizens so
    that they can become the people that defend their country against those
    who are trying to stop freedom. And I want to thank you for that, Mr.
    Secretary General.

        We talked about the need to make sure NATO is relevant, that NATO is
    constructed in a way that is not only effective but one that continues
    to foster free societies and democracy around the world.

    [[Page 2957]]

        And I thank you for your vision and your commitment. Welcome to the
    Oval Office.
        Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer. Thank you very much. Well, thank
    you very much, Mr. President. The fact that I am sitting here now in the
    Oval Office as the first foreign visitor is the best proof, I think, for
    the full commitment of the United States of America and this President
    Bush to NATO. And that's of the utmost importance, because NATO is the
    unique transatlantic forum where everything we have, the big challenges
    of the world we are facing in the world today should be discussed, and
    NATO is the only organization which can deliver.
        We delivered, as the President said, in Afghanistan. Less burkas and
    more ballot boxes, that's what it's all about. We are delivering in
    Kosovo. We are delivering by setting up a training implementation
    mission in Iraq. There is no second forum. There's no second
    organization in the world like NATO, where 26 democracies are defending
    values, democracy, respect for human rights, freedom of religion, and
    all those basic values which are at the heart of all these 26 societies.
        And it gives me pleasure to have the full support--I knew that
    already, of course--to have the full support of President Bush for this
    endeavor. Of course, I think NATO has a very challenging agenda, and
    I'll make sure that we can deliver--NATO can deliver, that we can face
    all those challenges successfully.
        Thank you so much, and it's a great pleasure to be here in the Oval
    Office once again.
        President Bush. Welcome back.
        We'll be glad to answer a couple of questions. Scott [Scott Lindlaw,
    Associated Press], why don't you start it off.

    Future Cooperation With the Palestinian Authority

        Q. Thanks, Mr. President. In June 2002, you urged the Palestinian
    people to replace Yasser Arafat with a leader, in your words, ``not
    compromised by terror.'' Arafat today is gravely ill. In fact,
    Palestinians have already selected his successor. Do you see a new
    opening for peace here?
        President Bush. I do. There will be an opening for peace when
    leadership of the Palestinian people steps forward and says, ``Help us
    build a democratic and free society.'' And when that happens--and I
    believe it's going to happen, because I believe all people desire to
    live in freedom--the United States of America will be more than willing
    to help build the institutions necessary for a free society to emerge,
    so that the Palestinians can have their own state. The vision is two
    states, a Palestinian state and Israel, living side by side in peace,
    and I think we've got a chance to do that. And I look forward to being
    involved in that process.
        Adam [Adam Boulton, Sky News].

    Secretary of State Powell

        Q. Mr. President, today you met with your Secretary of State. Do you
    want him to stick around to lead your efforts to revive the Middle East
    peace talks?
        President Bush. I'm proud of my Secretary of State. He's done a heck
    of a good job.
        Heidi [Heidi Pryzbyla, Bloomberg News].

    Troop Levels in Iraq

        Q. Yes, sir. Can elections in Iraq be free and fair without the
    participation of Sunnis? And you've also said you'll give the commanders
    in Iraq what they need. Does this mean that you're open to substantially
    increasing the level of troops?
        President Bush. That is a loaded question, and I don't blame you for
    asking it. The commanders on the ground will have that which they need,
    and they have yet to say, ``We need a substantial number of troops.'' As
    a matter of fact, I met with the commanders on the ground today--General
    Casey, and he--a commander on the
    ground, General Casey, the commander

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    on the ground. And he said that things are going well in Fallujah and
    they're making very good progress in securing that country.
        But I haven't changed--the job of the Commander in Chief is to set
    the strategy and to set the direction of policy and say to those who are
    in charge of implementing the policy, ``You'll have that which you
    need.'' And I have said that ever since we've begun operations in Iraq.
    I said it when we began operations in Afghanistan, and it's still true.
    And if the commanders were to bring forth a request, I would look at
    it--I would listen to it very seriously and implement the request. They
    have yet to do so.

    Sunni Participation in Iraqi Elections

        Q. Do you need Sunni participation to make the elections free and
    fair?
        President Bush. Well, I'm confident when people realize that there's
    a chance to vote on a President, they will participate. People want to
    be free. This is tough right now in Iraq because there are people that
    are willing to commit violent acts to stop elections. But as I reminded
    our citizens prior to the Afghanistan elections, there's a deep desire
    in every soul to vote and to be free and to participate in the
    Presidential elections, which is precisely what happened in Afghanistan
    in spite of the doubt of some and in spite of the violence that took
    place in Afghanistan prior to the vote. I believe that a lot of citizens
    in Iraq will want to vote for their leaders. And I believe that because
    I believe deep in everybody's soul is a desire to be free.
        Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:52 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., USA,
    commanding general, Multi-National Force--Iraq. A reporter referred to
    Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority.